Countless folks in our capital city claim to stand with conservatives and preach their willingness to fight to the end. Meanwhile, few are willing to pay the very real price associated with such claims.

Legislators are sold on ideas that working with leadership and reaching across the aisle are the only ways to be effective. They fall prey to these lies and convince themselves they can change the system from the inside out. If it were only that simple…

I’m reminded of the naïve youngster at church who a few months ago claimed that one must become part of the world in order to spread the Gospel. Children failing to understand the absurdity of such a philosophy is one thing; legislators wholeheartedly ascribing to it is quite another.

And yet, the practice of selling oneself isn’t limited to elected officials. More often than not, those who work for campaigns, think-tanks or watchdogs are the worst offenders.

The lure of higher salaries, bigger offices and invites to fancier parties are often just too difficult to pass up. Climbing the ladder of the conservative movement has become prioritized over helping it move forward.

Voters get upset when their representatives sell out, but who can blame them when nearly everyone around them is doing just that.

Conformity is the norm and approbation the goal. In a town where backroom deals and special favors are daily occurrences, honesty and principles aren’t tradable commodities.

Men and women who stay true to their conservative convictions are ostracized by those with power and mocked by the clearly partisan media.

Living in Austin, we cannot over-emphasize the truth of that statement. Lots of people around this town who tell you what you want to hear turn into ass-kissers the second there's a genuine threat to business as usual. We're not going to name names, except to note that one campaign in particular is full of these people.